# My new clarinet **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 24, 2014, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-clarinet/689194 "2014-05-24T17:55:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2014, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-clarinet/689194/1 "2014-05-24T17:55:04Z")
I have a new clarinet! It’s an alto clarinet! I bought it on Monday in Mineola, NY (Long Island.) I played an alto clarinet in university, and I wanted one again. It took many months of planning, but I finally was able to purchase one. [Here’s a picture](http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j175/muzition/USA%202014%20May/103_alto_zps1c767f4e.jpg) of the new alto clarinet in its case. [Here it is assembled](http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j175/muzition/USA%202014%20May/ALTO00_zps97339b39.jpg) (there are no people in this picture so you can’t really get a sense of the size of it, but it’s about the size of an alto sax, or smaller than a bass clarinet.) I’ve been playing it these past few days, and it’s a delight to play. ---
**Author:** ![Kenm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bc79bd/32.png) [@Kenm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kenm)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2014, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-clarinet/689194/2 "2014-05-24T18:06:44Z")
Congratulations! ---
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2014, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-clarinet/689194/3 "2014-05-24T18:39:22Z")
Thanks **Kenm.** 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2014, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-clarinet/689194/4 "2014-05-24T19:50:14Z")
Congratulations! How much did that set you back? I know how excited I was when I finally got an alto sax several months ago. ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2014, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-clarinet/689194/5 "2014-05-24T20:16:26Z")
> [@EmilyG](#): > > … It’s an alto clarinet! … Nerd. 😛 (Says the bassoonist.) ---
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2014, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-clarinet/689194/6 "2014-05-24T20:44:56Z")
> [@Rachellelogram](#): > > Congratulations! How much did that set you back? I know how excited I was when I finally got an alto sax several months ago. I remember your thread about your sax. My alto clarinet was about two thousand dollars. I’d saved up for about a year to be able to buy it. It’s pretty inexpensive for a new alto clarinet. > [@Knorf](#): > > Nerd. > 😛 > > (Says the bassoonist.) Yes, I am a big clarinet nerd (and music nerd in general.) 😉 ---
**Author:** ![installLSC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/54ee81/32.png) [@installLSC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/installLSC)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2014, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-clarinet/689194/7 "2014-05-25T01:08:44Z")
So what kind of music do you play on it? Classical, New Orleans style jazz, modern jazz, or something else? ---
**Author:** ![Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e4f/32.png) [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_is_the_new_Analog)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2014, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-clarinet/689194/8 "2014-05-25T03:26:39Z")
I know next to nothing about musical instruments, other than what I learned with a viola performance major as a roommate in college. But that looks like a beautiful instrument. Enjoy it! \*Are you still an eighth note short? ---
**Author:** ![Robert163](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/4af34b/32.png) [@Robert163](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robert163)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2014, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-clarinet/689194/9 "2014-05-25T03:40:38Z")
good for you you’ll have to record something for us ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Nylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/77aa72/32.png) [@Mr.Nylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Nylock)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2014, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-clarinet/689194/10 "2014-05-25T04:01:48Z")
I was thinking about starting to play the clarinet. Originally I wanted to learn to play the oboe or the bassoon. I wanted to play the bassoon because the local amateur orchestra said that’s what they needed, but that is way to expensive for me. Same thing with the oboe; except on top of everything else, I would probably have to spend many hours making my own reeds. I think the oboe sounds the best and I was interested in learning to play because of some of the pieces I am familiar with. Do you know of any clarinet pieces that may inspire me to play the clarinet? ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2014, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-clarinet/689194/11 "2014-05-25T04:09:24Z")
Congratulations! ---
**Author:** ![Spud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spud/32/347_2.png) [@Spud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spud)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2014, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-clarinet/689194/12 "2014-05-25T04:12:56Z")
> [@installLSC](#): > > So what kind of music do you play on it? Rap, Hip Hop, and Heavy Metal. ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2014, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-clarinet/689194/13 "2014-05-25T04:52:59Z")
Is [this](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jGyfqc7vK8) alto clarinet? If so, this is my first request for you! ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2014, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-clarinet/689194/14 "2014-05-25T11:39:10Z")
That is very cool - congratulations! ---
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2014, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-clarinet/689194/15 "2014-05-25T12:44:14Z")
> [@installLSC](#): > > So what kind of music do you play on it? Classical, New Orleans style jazz, modern jazz, or something else? Mostly classical, though I like playing sort of jazzy-sounding music (I’m not knowledgeable to play actual real jazz, but I find the upper register of the alto clarinet is well-suited to that sort of music, as it sounds almost like a cross between a clarinet and a saxophone.) > [@Robert163](#): > > good for you > you’ll have to record something for us Maybe in the next few days 🙂 > [@Mr.Nylock](#): > > I was thinking about starting to play the clarinet. Originally I wanted to learn to play the oboe or the bassoon. I wanted to play the bassoon because the local amateur orchestra said that’s what they needed, but that is way to expensive for me. Same thing with the oboe; except on top of everything else, I would probably have to spend many hours making my own reeds. I think the oboe sounds the best and I was interested in learning to play because of some of the pieces I am familiar with. Do you know of any clarinet pieces that may inspire me to play the clarinet? The composer Gerald Finzi wrote some really nice clarinet music (Five Bagatelles and a concerto.) (For the ordinary clarinet) ---
**Author:** ![JWT\_Kottekoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3ec8ea/32.png) [@JWT\_Kottekoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JWT_Kottekoe)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2014, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-clarinet/689194/16 "2014-05-25T14:54:24Z")
> [@Mr.Nylock](#): > > Do you know of any clarinet pieces that may inspire me to play the clarinet? Mozart Clarinet Concerto in A ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2014, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-clarinet/689194/17 "2014-05-25T17:21:43Z")
After a rest I am swinging this thread to Café Society. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2014, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-clarinet/689194/18 "2014-05-25T17:30:08Z")
Awesome! Grats! I’m jealous; I love the sound of alto clarinets! ---
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2014, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-clarinet/689194/19 "2014-05-25T17:41:14Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > Awesome! Grats! I’m jealous; I love the sound of alto clarinets! Thanks. 🙂 It’s nice to know that there are a few people out there who like the alto clarinet. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2014, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-clarinet/689194/20 "2014-05-25T22:01:40Z")
Us brass players love to tease woodwind players. But, that is a very nice instrument. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-clarinet/689194.md?page=2)